ISSN Online: 2377-424X
International Heat Transfer Conference 12
Interfacial Transport Phenomena and Stability in Liquid-Metal/Water
Sinopsis
One concept being considered for steam generation in innovative nuclear reactor applications and for highly
efficient and compact heat exchangers, involves water coming into direct contact with a circulating molten
metal. The vigorous agitation of the two fluids, the direct liquid/liquid contact and the consequent large
interfacial area give rise to very high heat transfer coefficients and rapid steam generation. For an optimum
design of such direct contact heat exchange and vaporization systems, detailed knowledge is necessary of the
various flow regimes, interfacial transport phenomena, heat transfer and operational stability. This paper
discusses experiments currently being conducted at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (UW) and Argonne
National Laboratory (ANL) to determine the heat transfer associated with water injection into a static molten
metal pool. The use of level swell and temperature distribution measurements by ANL provide information on
the volumetric heat transfer coefficient within a 1-D system. The measurements can then be compared with X-ray
imaging techniques used at UW in a 2-D experimental system to determine the void volume, volumetric heat
transfer coefficient and estimate the interfacial area and the average heat transfer coefficients in the molten metal
pool. Details of the experiments will be discussed and compared to past data.